When Emma Enters Fairytale Land
by schroederplayspiano
Summary: Once in Fairytale Land, the curse's victims have trouble adjusting to returning home – especially Emma, who never had a real home in the first place. Her reaction will bring the land together or rip it apart. Emma's fate might depend on those she unknowingly left behind. Contains all characters and ships including Rumble/Belle. Sequel to 'When Emma Leaves Storybrooke.'
1. Come Up To Meet You

_When Emma Enters Fairytale Land_

_Chapter 1: Come Up To Meet You _

_-The Charmings- _

Emma closed her eyes when she passed through the entrance that lit the way from the Storybrooke mine into Fairytale Land. She could feel her warmth coming to her body the coldness of the mine fading fast. Emma heard her father let out an excited gasp and she knew they had made it home safely. Emma kept her eyes shut even when her father had dropped her hand and walked a head of her. _  
_

"It's even better than I remember," James whispered to his daughter, astonished that his home hadn't changed at all in the last 28 years since he had left it. James was so engrossed in reacquainting himself with just the edge of Fairytale Land he had not realized Emma was still behind him, frozen. The sight of her here made James fill with happiness. He couldn't believe how perfectly she fit here, the soft wind in hair, blowing her dress around her, the birds more attentive to her presence than any other soul around.

After another second of watching her, however, James noticed how uncomfortable she looked. While his daughter fit here physically, he could tell something was wrong. "Is everything okay, Emma?" He asked softly.

Emma shifted in her new shoes that had somehow appeared on her feet. She looked up at the birds leaning out of a nearby branch towards her, wondering if suddenly understanding them was causing the massive headache that had started since entering Fairytale Land. "Yeah," she lied. "Everything's fine."

James walked closer to his daughter. While he didn't know her well, he knew something was off. He watched her open her eyes and scan the woods and the meadow for something that clearly wasn't there. When James was close enough to Emma, he filled her peripheral vision and forced her to look at him, he said, "Everything clearly not okay. What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Nothing," Emma answered automatically. So preoccupied with her search, Emma didn't notice the first time her father used a pet name for her.

"Emma," James said softly while still demanding her attention. "What are you looking for?"

"Mom and Henry." Emma's words smoothly came out her mouth. She wondered if excluding the third person she was looking for counted as a lie.

"Oh!" James turned half-circle so his back was now in her face. Emma smiled slightly and sidestepped around him so they were now shoulder to shoulder. "No."

Emma sharply turned to look at her father. "What did that mean? 'No' as in you forgot to look for them and assumed they were right ahead of us or 'no' as in they are in big trouble?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

"Shouldn't they be right ahead of us?" James offered.

"Well where else could they be?" Emma rushed her words. "To my knowledge that passage way," she pointed behind her, "only comes out here. This is where it brought me to last time I came here. Do you think it brings different people to different places?"

"I don't know," James said again, mystified. He started to get lost in his search for his family just like Emma had done moments before.

"Okay," Emma said with a firm, annoyed voice. "Magic is new to me – I'm allowed to not know. You, on the other hand," she pointed at her father's chest, "Aren't."

James crossed his arms at Emma's assumption. He tried to stare her down. When that didn't work and it was clear she needed an explanation he spoke. "Emma, I am not a magic expert. Fairytale creatures live in this land with magic, they don't understand it." James saw the disbelief on Emma's face. "Do you understand how everything works in Storybrooke?"

The look on Emma's face told James his analogy did not work.

"…Or outside of Storybrooke?"

Emma's annoyance grew with his answer. "So you can create magic, but you don't understand how to use it – or even what it is."

James' hands moved in out front of him, as if searching for an answer he didn't have. "I guess. I wish I did know. I do know the only creatures who truly know how to use magic and understand it are the fairies."

"Great! So what are the chances that we'll run into a fairy in these woods?"

"Well, it's not likely we'll run into a fairy," James told her as she lifted her arms up and let them fall in frustration. Emma started to go faster and further into the woods, searching for the rest of her family. Soon, her father ran to catch up. "But," he said grasping at straws. "If we wait until nightfall, we can wish on a star and a fairy will come." His words forced Emma to turn to see if he was serious. James then added, "Hopefully," under his breath.

"That cliché is actually true?"

James smiled warmly at his daughter. "Welcome to Fairytale Land."

Emma returned her father's smiled. Still, worried about her son and her mother caused her to look away from him – searching for any sign of her other family members. When Emma had searched the 360 degrees around her, she looked up and noticed the sun for the first time straight above her. She stopped moving to stare at the sun long enough for James to notice.

"You know," he said with a smile. "Even in Fairytale Land starring at the sun for too long can damage your eyesight."

Emma pointed up. "The sun's straight above us."

James smiled at Emma's obvious observation. "Yes, it is."

She brought her finger down, crossed her arms, but still stared at the sun. "Does that mean it is noon in Fairytale Land just like it would be in Storybrooke?"

"Yeah…" James looked curiously at Emma. "Why?"

Emma looked straight at her father and wondered if David's personality still lingered in him. She raised her eyebrows. "So that means we have to wait, like, at least seven hours for a fairy, right?" Emma asked, hoping her father would understand.

James stood up straighter. "No, we are going to do everything we can to find them in the next seven hours," he paused. "Calling on a fairy will be our last resort."

Emma's eyebrows furrowed in apprehension. "How can you talk like that?"

"Like what?" James asked quickly.

"Like you're not worried about your wife or your grandson at all." Emma changed her posture and her voice and began to mock her father's words. "Oh, we'll just look for them in the woods until night fall and then we'll just wish on a fairy!"

James stepped closer to Emma. "I've done it before. It works." When he saw his daughter was actually frustrated, James added, "It's not like we can call the police or a missing person's hotline." James gave a moment for them to regroup. "That's the difference between Storybrooke and Fairytale Land."

James' calmness at their situation allowed Emma to relax. "Okay. Fine," she agreed to his plan. "Where do you think we should start?"

As Emma watched James searched the area, trying to recall his familiarity with the woods, another sharp pain entered her head. Her hands automatically went to source, making sure her pain was definitely internal, not external.

"I know where we are!" James stated excited when Emma turned away from him in pain. "Home is this way Emma! I'm sure your mom would have taken Henry down this path!"

Emma kept her back to him for another moment. She closed her eyes, trying to let the pain pass through her before turning to face her father.

"Okay. Let's go," Emma decided she was ready and ran past him in the direction he was pointing.

* * *

_-The Beauty and the Beast- _

He had looked everywhere.

From the second he had passed through the mines and entered Fairytale Land his mission was set.

Now that he knew the queen had seized her - her dungeons were the first place he looked.

But she was nowhere.

Disappearing and reappearing in every possible place he thought she could be, he looked for her for hours. Soon, he realized the characters that had not entered through the mines had somehow passed through to Fairytale Land so they were in the exact positions they were in when the curse hit.

But she was nowhere.

* * *

Author's Note: It's so good to be back! Thank you for coming back, readers, and allowing me some break time. If you are little lost content wise, please check out this story's prequel _When Emma Leaves Storybrooke_. Big Thanks to_OncerSwarekJateBazeGirlscout_, Lady Blade WarAngel, HarrylovesGinny09, Likaella, Aod4L, and Lola. Likaella – Thanks for your feedback – I do think creating a strong, positive relationship between James and Emma is important. Stay Tuned!


	2. Tell You I'm Sorry

_When Emma Enters Fairytale Land_

_Chapter 2: Tell You I'm Sorry_

_ -The Carpenters-_

There was dust everywhere in the old man's woodshop. It wasn't the normal amount one would expect for any woodshop, no matter how old it was. The dust he saw when he first opened his eyes to his true woodshop rested in layers. It reminded him of the huge waves he sailed when he was last in the ocean.

The old man felt the cushion beneath him and realized he was sitting on a chair he had made a long time ago, almost in a past life. The memory jolted Geppetto from his seat as he realized exactly where he was.

He turned around in a circle in his old shop. He was alone.

Realizing this, but still grasping onto hope, Geppetto ran upstairs to where home part of his house presided.

"Pinocchio! Jiminy!" He opened another door. "Where are you?" Hope was still in his voice as he continued to look for them and memories flowed through him by the second.

The curse was broken. He was here, back in his woodshop, so they must be also.

"Pinocchio! Jiminy!" Fear finally came through Geppetto's voice. He had opened all of his doors upstairs, and had even checked the little hiding places the cricket knew and he Geppetto was sure he shared with his son. They were nowhere.

Geppetto ran downstairs and yelled out again. "Pinocchio! Jiminy!" He looked in a corner behind a separating wall. "Where are you?"

"Geppetto!" A small voice came out from the opposite end of his woodshop. Geppetto could feel stress leaving his body when he heard the cricket.

"Jiminy!" Geppetto yelled in happiness when he saw his friend from the center of the room. The friends went towards each other until they were a cricket's length away from each other, Jiminy flying back and forth between Geppetto's two eyes. "Where is Pinocchio?" Gepetto asked in desperation.

"I was looking for him," Jiminy told Gepetto quietly. "I wanted to find him before I saw you."

"Did you?" Gepetto asked, already knowing the answer.

"He's not anywhere, Gepetto." Sadness was clear in Jiminy's voice. He debated whether or not to say his next words. "I wonder now if he came back home after the curse broke." Jiminy held on tighter to his small umbrella, worried how his friend would take the news.

"No, no," Gepetto argued. "He has to be here. He promised me he would help break the curse. If the curse is now broken, he should be here somewhere." Gepetto stopped making a further mess of his woodshop by searching for his son and looked back at his friend. "Remember, he would be 28 years older than he was." Then he added with pride, "He would be a man."

Jiminy quickly flew outside the room to search the hall and the playroom adjoining it.

"Gepetto. There's no one here. Pinocchio didn't come back with the curse." Jiminy averred.

One more look at Gepetto was all it took for Jiminy to turn away. This was his fault. He didn't care if he had lost his memories; it was his job to look after Gepetto and his son. The blue fairy had given him one job to do and he had failed.

After one more flit of his wings to brace himself, Jiminy turned back to Gepetto. "I'm sorry," he whispered softly.

The old man looked at the cricket and couldn't do anything but accept his apology. Jiminy warned him not to put his son in the wardrobe and he had. Suddenly, he felt like no time had past since he put his son in the wardrobe. Just like 28 years before, tears were running down his face he couldn't control. He searched his home again. This time realizing that the magic dust from the curse covering some of his most prize possessions looked like it had just settled.

And then he wondered if it actually had.

* * *

_-The Charmings-_

"Can we take a break please?" Emma begged her father.

She was about to sit on a rock when the expression on her father's face told her stopping was not an option.

Her head was killing her.

"Let's go, Emma."

She debated weather she should tell him. A good daughter would tell a father something like this right? Or would that just be complaining?

"How much longer?" She asked instead.

James turned around so his daughter could see his smile. "Wow, now you really sound like a daughter."

He wondered if something was really wrong when she didn't return his smile.

"Why can't we just wait here until nightfall to wish on the star? We can do that, right?"

"Yeah," James said slowly, examining her. He had hoped to reach the castle by nightfall. He didn't want to be apart from his Snow for too long. "Are you really that tired?" He asked her softly.

"Yes." Emma looked straight at him, wondering if he forgot what she had been through in the last 24 hours, or in the last 28 years. "A lot has happened in the last two days."

James starred at her blankly for a few moments, trying to understand what she was talking about. He was watching her when her body fell to the ground. "Emma!" James yelled, running to her and kneeling beside her.

Her eyes were open. She was conscious. She was even looking at him.

"Are you okay?" He asked, now panicked. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him. Emma turned her head away before consciously deciding to close her eyes. "I'm just so tired," she lied.

* * *

-_The Beauty and the Beast-_

He had a new person to blame.

This wasn't his fault. He would do anything for her and nothing to hurt her.

Emma had promised him she would be here.

She was nowhere.

This was Emma's fault.

Sure, the Queen had taken her from him and locked her up, torturing both of them in the process.

But what was the point now in blaming the Queen? The Queen had no power now.

This was Emma's fault.

Emma had promised him she would be here.

And she wasn't.

So, now she would pay.

* * *

_-The Charmings-_

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Henry asked for the third time as he lagged behind his grandmother.

Snow turned to him; only now realizing Henry was getting tired. She walked back to him, knelling down so they were at eye level. Her instinct told her to put her palm on his chest, so she did.

"Henry," she took a deep breath. "I know you're scared-"

"I am not scared," he stated strongly. "I just don't understand why we are not going back to the castle."

Snow smiled when she heard the teenager already coming out of him. Then, she rolled her eyes, realizing her grandson, who had been in this land all of eight hours, thought he was knew all about her home.

She picked up his hand and started to walk back in the direction they were going.

"The Queen isn't there anymore!" Henry kept up his argument throughout their walk. "The castle is where we should be going! For all we know Emma and Charming could have come through the passage there."

"Henry," Snow begged, wishing he would drop it.

Henry stopped in his tracks and let go of her hand. He was sick of people not listening to him, not believing him, always treating him like a little kid.

"I know why you won't go back to the castle," he announced. "I figured it out."

"Henry-"

"You're the one who's scared. You don't want to go back to the place where you lost your husband and your daughter!" He pointed at her and then off in direction he knew their castle was. "You think that palace is full of danger!"

"It is full of danger!" She conceded to his need to argue and understand. "Remember when we ran Hansel and Gretel?" She paused for meaning. "They are in the exact same place they remember being in when the curse hit. If that's true, and I'm sure that it is, the palace is full of angry guards right now."

"Cool." Henry replied. To which Snow had to roll her eyes again. "I don't still understand how an empty dwarf house is better."

"It's safe." She defended her decision instinctually.

"It's empty." Henry firmly argued back.

"Henry." Snow turned to him, her anger and annoyance finally starting to show. "We are going to the dwarfs' house because it is the only place I trust right now. I know Charming can find me there, he is one of the few people who knows where it is. It might be empty and cold without food or company, but it is safe."

"But-"

"Henry!" Sadness overwhelmed her. She had been pushed to her breaking point. "I don't know where Charming or Emma are!" Speaking of them made tears form behind her eyes. "All I know is that we have to believe they will find us."

"Or," Snow and Henry turned at the cold, trickster voice behind them. "Maybe they won't, dearies."

* * *

Author's Note: I'm so glad people are enjoying my story. If my story puts a grin on my face, your review definitely puts a smile on mine ( ;) OncerSwarekJateBazeGirlscout). Every review is helpful and makes me happy, so thanks to red lighting, Nephite, anitarose, Aod4L, Normal-is-Overratedx, and Lola for helping me write and improve my story!


	3. You Don't Know How Lovely You Are

_When Emma Enters Fairytale Land_

_Chapter 3: You Don't Know How Lovely You Are _

_ -The Dwarfs-_

"Wake up!" Grumpy kicked Sleepy, who was leaning against the castle walls. "How can you be sleeping right now?" He raised his voice, "Wake up, Sleepy!"

"Huh?" Sleepy whispered, obviously trying to stay asleep.

"Sleepy, we need to find the others!" Grumpy yelled at him, hoping his yell would force him to rise. When it didn't, he bent down to Sleepy and shook him. "I don't see the other dwarfs, Sleepy! And I can't find Snow!"

Grumpy's last words gave Sleepy enough reason to stay awake.

"Snow?" Sleepy asked, still trying to find his bearings. "Snow White?"

"Yes!" Grumpy confirmed, his frustration level rising. "I ran to her bedroom and back. She wasn't there and neither was the Prince."

Sleepy was slowly pushing himself up from the cobblestone bridge. When he was on his feet, he was half an inch shorter than Grumpy.

Sleepy looked out past the bridge.

"This isn't Storybrooke," he said, still confused.

"Really?" Grumpy replied sarcastically. "Doesn't it look like it?"

Sleepy looked to Grumpy and then back out to the view of the land before them.

"No," Sleepy whispered.

"We're home, dimwit."

Grumpy could see light coming into Sleepy's eyes and then they widened, clearly putting the pieces together.

"Where's Snow?" Sleepy asked, now panicked. "Where are our other dwarfs?"

"There he is!" Grumpy observed, "Finally." He firmly took hold of Sleepy's arm and dragged him off the bridge, further into the castle.

"Doc should be with Snow and the Prince!" Sleepy commented as he was being dragged. "He was delivering Emma."

Grumpy rolled his eyes at Sleepy's observation, so obvious that Gumpy couldn't believe he was still putting it together and thinking it was useful information.

"Yes, Sleepy, I checked their bedroom, remember? Other than the sheets being ruffled, there is no evidence of any of them being there at all."

They were deep in the castle now; Grumpy had led them down certain hallways and up others until they were in the main common room. He stopped in his search just long enough for Sleepy to find a chair and rest his head on the conference table.

"No," Grumpy stopped turning about the room and ran to the table to pull Sleepy up. "No Sleeping! I just woke you up, you are not going back to sleep now!"

He continued to pull at Sleepy's arm until both of them fell on the floor, Sleepy on top of Grumpy.

"Get off!" Grumpy demanded, "Get off of me, you nincompoop!"

Grumpy was still trying to free himself from underneath his friend, and was seriously debating whether to start pulling Sleepy's hair or earlobes when he heard:

"Grumpy! Sleepy!" From across the room.

He managed to barely turn his head in the voice's direction before he said, "Happy!"

In fact it was all five dwarfs, Doc included, smiling and running down the room to meet the other two who were now beneath the table. When they reached their missing dwarfs, they knelt down to hug them. Arms were flying as everyone was trying to hug each other, not realizing that Grumpy was still trapped beneath Sleepy.

"Everyone get off me!" Grumpy yelled at his friends, demanding they stop their reunion to let him stand. "Help me up," was his second demand.

A little bit annoyed that Grumpy was breaking up the their family reunion, each of the dwarfs slowly backed away from Grumpy. Bashful pulled Sleepy on his feet and away from Grumpy who was still on the floor.

"Help me up!" Grumpy demanded again. Despite Sleepy causing him few back bruises, it was unclear if Grumpy actually needed help or if he just wanted it. Nevertheless, Doc walked to Grumpy again and reached his hands out to him to pull him up. Once they were all up, they unconsciously formed a circle so they could all have a good look at each other.

Smiles on their faces were the one feature they all had in common, except for being short dwarfs, of course.

"So," Happy was the first to speak. "Welcome home, everyone."

"It is home without Snow," Sneezy complained, a sneeze following his comment.

"Yeah!" Bashful agreed. "Where is she?"

"We searched the entire castle," Doc said on top of Bashful's quiet voice. "She isn't here."

"Well," Grumpy questioned automatically. "Where could she be?"

Sleepy stands up straighter from leaning on Dopey. "She would probably go somewhere safe. This place is surrounded by the Queen's guards."

"She's not Queen anymore," Bashful says under his breath.

"Where would she go that's safe?" Grumpy asks the group.

They all look at each other for a moment before the light goes on in all of their heads at the same time.

"Home!" They yell excitedly together and run out of the room towards the exit of the castle.

* * *

_-The Charmings-_

Emma wasn't asleep. Her father realized this moments after she had passed out and could he not wake her.

Even though he could feel her heart beating and her breathing going in and out, tears were constantly pouring out of James and streaming down his face. If the stars didn't appear soon and Blue Fairy didn't come, he knew he would have to find another way to wish for a miracle.

But he didn't know of any.

All he knew to do was to watch her. James had repositioned his daughter so her head was resting in his lap. He was leaning against a fallen tree trunk, stroking her hair, counting the seconds until the stars came out.

Once in a while, he leaned down, kiss her forehead, and tell her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her.

She didn't move.

That's how he knew, whatever was happening to her, she wasn't cursed.

Just when he thought the stars would never come out that night, one did. Usually the first star to shine is not the brightest, but he was sure the one he saw tonight was the brightest star he had ever seen.

James looked down again at Emma, kissed her forehead, and then looked back at the star.

Once he had his wish clearly worded in his head, he closed his eyes and wished it.

And then the Blue Fairy appeared.

* * *

_-The Magic Slippers-_

Cinderella opened her eyes to find herself staring at bouquets of flowers. Her painted ceiling was how she always remembered it.

Cinderella felt the bed's fabric beneath her, the strings of the quit moved between her fingers.

She brought her hands to her body to be more comfortable. As they made their way over her stomach, she shot right up.

She was not pregnant.

Her hands continued to feel parts of her body.

There was no way she was pregnant.

"Thomas!" She yelled as she stood up and searched the room, panicked. "Thomas!"

She bumped into a nightstand in the corner, causing it to fall over. As she knelt down to pick up the items that fell, her hands brushed over the baby slippers her husband had given to Alexandra.

Alexandra.

She had already given birth.

"Thomas!" She yelled even louder as she left her bedroom.

"Ella!"

And there he was, running towards her. When he reached her, Tomas pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her.

"You're here!" Cinderella whispered in his ear. "You came back to me!"

"Of course I did," He whispered back. Thomas pulled back to look at her, he placed his left hand on her check and stroked it with his fingers before leaning in and kissing her lips.

Cinderella pulled back too quickly for Thomas' liking. "You have Alexandra in the other room with you, right?"

Thomas pulled back even more to look at his wife's face. "No," he said seriously. "I thought she was with you."

Cinderella let go of Tomas to have a better view of their castle in order to find where their daughter could be.

Their daughter wasn't anywhere.

* * *

_-The Charmings-_

Snow White looked at Rumpelstiltskin with disdain. Henry wasn't afraid of him, but nevertheless, she clung to him, putting his back to her body and letting her hands rest on his shoulders.

"What do you want?" She broke the momentary silence with her harsh words.

"I'm looking for Emma, Dearie," Rumpelstiltskin crossed his arms; his feet a little outside his shoulders – making his pose powerful.

"We don't know-" Henry started, but his grandmother put her finger over his mouth, an obvious sign for him to stop talking.

"What do you want with Emma? She has already given you your life back and brought you home. Hasn't she done enough for you?" Snow questioned him.

"Not even close. She hasn't done anything for me except lie." He stepped one step closer to them, so his position was even more threatening. "Now, if Henry is right, and you really don't know where Emma and her father are, I might as well take you somewhere so they'll be sure to find you and I can witness yet another happy Charming reunion."

"You wouldn't dare," Snow said as her voice turned to ice. "Not after everything my family has done for you."

Rumpelstiltskin pulled his magic wand out of his pants pocket with an evil smile on his face. "Your family has done nothing for me."

Snow pulled Henry up into her arms, holding him close to her. She wondered if she should run in these last seconds while she had the chance. She looked back to quickly to search out an escape route, and that's when she smiled.

Running towards them were seven dwarfs, all with the bows and arrows, ready for a fight.

* * *

Author's Note: I am so sorry it took me a while to update! I went on vacation for a week and just recently returned. Thank you so much for waiting and coming back. Hugs to Lola, Maiqu, Aod4L, OncerSwarekJateBazeGirlscout, and Mila – Thank you so much for your reviews, they really do mean so much! At this point, my readers should have some idea about what's going on with Emma. It will be revealed to some extent next chapter, but I think everyone should be able to guess before then. :D


	4. I Had To Find You

_When Emma Enters Fairytale Land_

_Chapter 4: I had To Find You_

_-The Hat Maker-_

He hated Wonderland.

He hated Wonderland even more than he did before. His hate surprised him. How could he hate any world more than a world without magic?

Magic wasn't the key. He was indifferent about magic.

His daughter was the key.

And she was not in Wonderland.

Today, her absence was the sole cause of his hatred of Wonderland.

Wonderland was worse than Storybrooke. He didn't have a telescope. He couldn't watch her. He didn't have any idea where she was or who she was with.

His presence here wasn't his happy ending. How could the curse be broken if he was still here, in this dreadful place?

Still, he played along. He obsessed over his hats and served his tea, he allowed the Queen of Hearts to mindlessly rule the land, and he watched Alice wonder around it, forever lost on her endless journey.

If he cared, he might be able to change things here. He didn't see the point.

To him, as long as he was separated from his daughter, a land with magic was the same as one without it.

* * *

_-The Charmings-_

"I cannot save her," the Blue Fairy floated gracefully down to James' eye line. "Your wish is one I cannot grant." The fairy's apology and regret was obvious on her face.

James looked down from the Blue Fairy to Emma, who was still peacefully unconscious on his lap. He gently moved some of her hair off her forehead. "There must be something we can do," He whispered downward, still starring at his daughter. "She just saved everyone, she fulfilled her destiny." James felt tears forming behind his eyes. "This can't the end. She was just starting to live her life."

The Blue Fairy watched his tears run thickly down his face. An understanding, but sad smile formed on her face. "She didn't save everyone," she informed him quietly.

James finally looked up at her. "What?" He took one of his hands out of his daughter's hair to wipe his tears off his checks. "What do you mean?"

"Our land's population is not complete. There are remaining natives of Fairytale Land still in Storybrooke and did not complete their journey home. It is still Emma's destiny to bring them home and bring back the happy endings."

"How could they not complete the journey back?"

"Some of the curses' victims were affected in different ways. Those who did not receive the standard punishment in Storybrooke are those who could not come home when Emma broke the curse."

"She can't save anyone in her condition," James said, wondering if the fairy was aware of his obvious declaration. "We must find a way to save everyone without her."

The Blue Fairy looked at James sadly. "Her task is her burden to bare. No one can do it for her. She must be the one to fully break the curse and bring everyone home."

"Can you at least give her enough magic to complete her task and fulfill her destiny? We need to go home and rest before starting another journey."

"I can guide both of you home. Her strength is something she must find for herself."

James watched the little fairy float above his daughter, wondering if her offer was really the best she could do. James looked around the empty woods; he could tell not another soul was around for miles. They were alone, hopeless without the fairy's offer.

"Do you know any way Snow and I can help her find her strength while she rests?"

The Blue Fairy sighed, wishing she had more of an answer to give. "I do know she will be able to find strength once she understands the cause of it. Give her some water and let her rest. She will figure out a way to save everyone. Emma, and Emma alone, is the only one who can."

"Ok," James agreed, but was still unsatisfied. He sat completely still for a moment, preoccupied with thought. "I believe you can still grant me a wish."

For the first time since seeing James, the Blue Fairy smiled. "Yes. I believe I can."

James closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then wished for something he felt like he had been wishing for since he met her.

He had to find her and they had to go home.

* * *

-_The Lost Children-_

Gretel debated if they should turn around on their path to find Snow White again. She knew they had a better chance of finding Snow White now than their father.

Hansel would always follow her, he was loyal like that, and she would never leave him. Gretel could not have asked for a better brother.

While she walked, she remembered their time in Storybrooke as a family. Their father was different. Never less loving, he just tried so much harder in Storybrooke.

He never had to try to be a good father in Fairytale Land. That characteristic just came naturally to him.

Gretel looked over to Hansel. He looked sad again. She hated when he looked sad. Gretel searched her mind restlessly for a way to cheer him up.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to Snow White? I bet she could help us."

"No," Hansel said quietly. "We're better off on our own. Besides, she knows we're lost without our father. I'm sure she'll tell Emma when she finds her."

Gretel felt the faint breeze blow through her hair. She watched her brother as he looked at his feet while he walked. His sadness affected her more than she knew it should. Sometimes looking at him made her heart melt.

She reached for him, but missed his arm when he didn't notice her effort to connect and kept walking.

"Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?" Gretel whispered.

He stopped at her words and met her eyes.

"Just stay with me," he whispered back. "Don't ever leave me."

Gretel reached for his arm again, and finally grabbed hold of it. She squeezed his hand and smiled. Whatever hurt or guilt she was feeling at his sadness went away, his words filled her heart with happiness.

She loved him so much.

* * *

_-The Charmings-_

Snow White watched as the dwarfs locked Rumpelstiltskin in a rolling cage, his magic wand still in her hands when she wrapped them around Henry's chest. Together, they watched the dwarfs finish their task.

"That was the coolest thing I've ever seen!" Henry exclaimed with excitement. "I love Fairytale Land."

"I'd like it even better if we could find the rest of our family," Snow said under her breath.

Henry turned around in her arms to look at her. "Do you really believe we won't find them?"

"Of course not," Snow responded so quickly she was tripping over her words. "Your Grandfather will always find us."

"Well, Grumpy said the castle is clear." Hope was already visible on Henry's face before he asked the question. "So, can we go home now?"

Snow couldn't help smiling at her grandson's eagerness. Instead of answering, she took his hand and walked him over to where dwarfs were making final preparations to move Rumpelstiltskin back to the castle dungeons.

"We're ready to go, Snow." Happy informed her promptly.

"Great," she told him. Instead of looking forward to the castle, Snow looked back at the thick woods behind her.

"They'll find us," the always optimistic Henry tried to reassure her. "It will be easier to find us once we're in one place, especially if it's home."

Home.

She liked the sound of that.

Snow turned from the woods, down to Henry's smile, and then finally up to the distant castle.

Emma appeared in the front of her mind at the sight of the castle. Her daughter was always in the back of her mind somewhere, but looking up at the place where Emma was born filled her body with happiness.

Soon, all four of them would be home. The whole family would be safe and happy and healthy. Most importantly, they would be together.

Then Snow only thought of her Charming. She imagined the look on his face when they would finally be reunited forever.

She had to find him and they had to go home.

* * *

Author's Note: Charming reunion next, but I don't think everyone will be safe and happy and healthy! Special thanks to Aod4L, OncerSwarekJateBazeGirlscout, Lola, and Maiqu - you make my day. Thanks for your continued support. I'm glad you guys (and hopefully all my readers) are enjoying my story. Until next time!


	5. Tell You I Need You

_When Emma Enters Fairytale Land_

_Chapter 5: Tell You I Need You _

_-The Huntsman-_

The Queen's Castle was cold.

The coldness wasn't what told him something was off. It was always cold and dark in The Queen's Castle.

No, it was that he could breathe again. He could feel the cold air entering his lungs and filling his body with new life and new energy.

He had felt this feeling before.

And it always had to do with her.

He closed his eyes, remembering his first kiss with Emma. Short and sweet, sure it might have been inappropriate in her eyes, but for him, it was like breathing for the first time.

By their second kiss, he knew who he was and who she was and everything was perfect. It was perfect, if only for a moment.

Kissing her wasn't the only time he felt it.

No, he had felt this feeling the last time she was here, the last time she was home, the last time they had talked.

Now, his feeling of constant freshness and new alertness was with him all the time. He hadn't felt this way since he had met Snow White in the woods for the first time.

His new, wonderful feelings were what told him something was off.

Still, he couldn't leave the cold castle.

He could make it as far as the grounds, to the well where he talked to Emma, but no further.

He was still trapped.

The huntsman put his right hand to his heart.

It still did not beat.

The huntsman walked to the window and looked out over the land.

The land had a different appearance now. The blues were brighter and the greens were deeper. He turned his head in the direction of the little villages. They seem different from days before as well.

The smoke signaling the abandoned villages had completely coalesced with the fresh air. In the last two days he had only seen village smoke at night. He wondered if perhaps the smoke was no longer due to slow burning, deserted fires but caused by their owners' need to warm themselves after a day's work.

But that would mean the villages were occupied again.

And they couldn't be occupied again.

Because that would mean…

He wouldn't let himself think what that meant.

It was impossible.

Then, Emma floated back into his mind.

It wasn't impossible.

Still, the Huntsman couldn't bear to look at the villages anymore. Full or deserted, he couldn't be a part of them.

He turned his back on the window. Walking to a couch near the fire, the Huntsman thought of the Queen. Surprisingly, he did not think of her very often. Now, living in her deserted castle alone, part of him wondered why she wasn't here. If the villages were, in fact, occupied, why wasn't the Queen here? Why was he alone?

It didn't make any sense.

Unless…

No, that was hoping too much.

Still, the image of the Queen's body, dead at Emma's feet, formed strongly in his mind.

A distant howl broke through the image in his head. He leapt up at the sound, bounding towards it for the window.

Sure enough, in the far distance, his wolf was calling to him.

And then he knew, without a doubt, that he wasn't alone.

Emma had brought everyone home.

* * *

_-The Charmings-_

The Blue Fairy gave him a horse for their journey home. James sat behind Emma and kept her sitting up throughout the ride home, watching her drift in and out of consciousness.

When they reached the castle, James' heart beat faster. He was home! He didn't realize how much he missed it here until he arrived.

While rememorizing every detail of his castle, James held Emma in place as he slid off the horse, making sure she would not fall. The loss of her back support awakened Emma. Her father noticed when some of her weight left his hand.

Emma looked down at him, confused.

James only smiled. "We're home, sweetheart."

When Emma made the realization herself, she looked around, trying to discover every detail of the place she should have grown up in.

It made her dizzy.

Emma didn't realize her dizziness until her father had to prevent her from falling over with both his hands.

"Let's take you to bed, honey." James said sweetly, trying to hide his concern in his voice. "Just fall into my arms and I'll catch you."

Without thinking about it, Emma did what she was told and was in his arms the next second. James tried to stable her on her feet and managed to help her stand with his arms under both of hers.

His daughter's weakness made his heart sink.

James walked Emma out of the stable and towards the castle. When he reached the entrance, he groaned.

He had forgotten about the steps.

"What's wrong, now?" Emma must have heard his groan. She forced her eyes open when her father didn't answer her.

They were facing about a hundred stairs to the gates of the castle. Emma's eyes widen in awe at the size of the building her father called home. Disney movies didn't change every detail of their story: royals did live in castles more beautiful than anything she could imagine.

James searched the grounds for someone to help them. No one was here. No stable boys, no guards, no stewards, no…

Where were the dwarfs?

He started calling the dwarfs for help; yelling for all seven of them individually. No one answered.

James bent down to his daughter, now sitting on one of the first steps, leaning against the steps just above it with eyes already closed. "Okay, I'm going to carry you up."

Without opening her eyes, the look on Emma's face told James she thought his plan was ridiculous. "You can't carry me up. It's okay. I'm okay here." Emma adjusted herself on the stairs so she was more comfortable.

"You're not okay here!" Emma heard the panic in her father's voice and opened her eyes. "You can't stay here!"

Emma's nonchalant behavior at their dire situation forced James' behavior to become more extreme. Tears formed in behind his eyes and he hoped they wouldn't escape down his checks. Without another word, James picked Emma up and started to walk up the steps.

He only made it up ten steps when he heard, "Charming! Emma!" From behind him and whipped his head around.

"Snow!"

"Mom!" Henry yelled and ran up to the steps to Emma.

At her son's voice, Emma climbed gently out of her father's arms. She sat up straight on a step with a smile, obviously putting on a show for her son, as he went into her arms.

Snow ran straight to her husband. "I found you this time," she said with a smile.

When her husband didn't return her smile, she knew something was wrong. Her smile left her immediately as she looked passed him to find her daughter clearly hiding her pain while she embraced her son.

Snow looked back at James, who was silently communicating with her, trying to figure out what to do. Together, they looked again at their daughter. Henry still had his hands around his mother's neck, laughing as she kissed his forehead. James put his arm around Snow to comfort her. His action tipped Snow over the edge, and she couldn't help letting out a small cry.

Emma finally looked up at her parents. Realization at the seriousness of her situation came over her when she saw the worry in their faces as they were holding each other.

"Hey, what's going on," They heard Happy's cheerful voice behind them and Snow and James turned.

Happy's smile left him when he saw their distraught faces.

"What's going on?" Grumpy tried again, in a somber voice, making his way through the pack of dwarfs.

"I need your help," Snow said to all the dwarfs.

They stood straighter at her words.

* * *

_-The Beauty And The Beast-_

Rumpelstiltskin watched the dwarfs quickly make a stretcher for Emma out of the wood lying against the stables.

No matter how impressive the speed and quality of their work was, he lost interest in them in seconds.

He focused on the magic wand in Snow White's hand, still mad at himself for not shooting a spell at her or at the dwarfs as they ran towards him.

How could he be so stupid?

Henry's cries at his mothers condition distracted Rumpelstiltskin from the wand. The wand went out of his focus as Emma went into it.

She was clearly in pain. Her eyes were closed as she brought her legs to lean against the next step where her head was resting.

Rumpelstiltskin smiled at her pain. She deserved it. As long as Belle wasn't with him, Emma was a lying, untrustworthy, weak girl who shouldn't have any happiness.

* * *

Author's Note: It's been a while since my last update, I know. My bad! Managing two stories right now, plus having a life on top of that takes a lot of time and planning. I do want to update as soon as I can, so the sooner people tell me they want an update, the higher up on my list this story resides. Thank you to Aod4L, OncerSwarekJateBazeGirlscout, Lola, and Simplymegan15. I hope you enjoyed Chapter 5!


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